While it's not immediately clear what the outcome of the test was, North Korea has long harbored ambitions to build and maintain a credible nuclear weapon arsenal for deterrence or to strike North America. US officials believe the test was done to see how the smallest stage of a three-stage intercontinental ballistic missile would work.
The engine test is the first since March, when North Korea executed three such rocket tests, Fox News reported.
The procedure was carried out in Yun Song.
Sputnik reported this week that US satellite intelligence showed that higher activity near an underground nuclear testing site indicated a test could be imminent.
To date, North Korea has tested their missile and rocket technology at a torrid pace this year. Sputnik reported on June 12 that "North Korea is likely to keep lobbing missiles off the Korean Peninsula, about every two weeks for the rest of the year," referring to a study by the Korea Economic Institute of America.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 20, 2017
